Dolphins rookie Valynce Te Whare was compared to Mal Meninga during his stunning NRL debut, but the rugby-raised Kiwi admits he only learned this week who the 13th Immortal is.
Te Whare was mowing the lawns at Dolphins headquarters when he joined the expansion club 18 months ago and on Saturday night he enjoyed a dream debut against the Sharks.
The 22-year-old crossed for two tries in a thumping 36-16 win over the Sharks and delivered an emotional haka in front of family and friends at full-time.
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Dolphins recruiter Peter O’Sullivan first spotted Te Whare playing rugby union for the New Zealand Schoolboys four years ago.
The centre admits he was still dreaming about playing for the All Blacks when Wayne Bennett plucked him out of club rugby union to sign with the Dolphins.
“A couple of years ago I was just playing club footy, just having a chill time, some alone time getting myself right mentally,” Te Whare said.
“I mentally wasn’t there so I just had a year off playing club and after that Wayne and Peter O’Sullivan hit me up and I just took it with two hands.
“The dream was to play for the All Blacks and Super Rugby but I made the switch (to rugby league) last year and I just thought keep getting good, keep learning in the Q Cup and my time will come and today was it.
“I didn’t think I was going to play how I played, I just went out there to have some fun. I was just eager to get the ball over and I ended up falling over the line.
“It was pretty fast, I wasn’t expecting how fast it was, my legs weren’t keeping up to be honest.
“I’m still trying to figure out what the rules are and what to do. All the Cup coaches helped me really well, they got me to where I am, it was nice.”
Bennett delivered a hilarious response when asked by foxsports.com.au why he handed Te Whare his debut against the Sharks.
The super coach said there’s room for improvement but also found praise for the New Zealander.
Te Whare was a 100-metre sprinter in high school and ran 11 seconds flat while weighing 115kgs.
The barnstorming outside back now tips the scales at 117kgs but has been working on his diet and wants to drop another 5kgs.
“It’s been a big roller coaster (getting into NRL shape) but I just put my head down and grinded for two months and finally made it,” Te Whare said.
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“I was getting too lazy and I wasn’t hungry in the morning so I wasn’t eating breakfast. But I was putting on weight because I was eating more at lunch and dinner, so I put breakfast back in and I started losing weight again. I don’t eat fast food.”
Bennett called Te Whare a “big-game player” following his debut and the young gun drew comparisons to Meninga on the Fox League broadcast.
Te Whare, who plays with an arm guard after breaking it badly as a teenager, still only has “a rough idea” who Meninga is.
“Everyone says I play like him, have an armguard like him. I broke my arm five or six years ago and ever since then I’ve had to wear it just for that confidence. It was pretty bad, took me out for six months,” Te Whare said.
“I just go out there and have fun. Run hard, tackle hard and have fun.”
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Dolphins captain Jesse Bromwich told foxsports.com.au that Te Whare has what it takes to become a “special” player in the NRL.
“He was working as groundsman… for him to go do that tonight and get all the family over from back home and score two tries, it’s pretty special,” Bromwich said.
“He’s a pretty funny bloke, doesn’t take things too seriously, just likes to have a bit of fun. He obviously loves his tucker. The coaches definitely get into him about it, the boys not so much, he reckons it’s all muscle.
“I don’t want to put too much pressure on a kid that just made his debut but he’s certainly got the qualities to be a special player.
“As captain of this side I just want to see him working on little things, keep working on his fitness and keep pushing to try and make his mark in the NRL.”
The proud Kiwi said he just wants to play well enough to make his family proud.
“(My family) is proud of me for showing the pathway for my brother and sister. If I can do it, they can do it.
“I just want to show them that (success) is not as hard as everyone thinks it is, so stick to it.”
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